part 3 Building a Trade Show Marketing Plan... the Follow Up... Promotionally Yours, Sheri Breaux

Building a Trade Show Marketing Plan, Part 3: The Follow Up

Posted on March 2, 2016 by Phil Peden

During a product show earlier this month I stopped to talk to a supplier about the material his company used on one of their products. The sales representative was very efficient, extracted more information out of me than I planned to share, made sure we exchanged cards and sent me on my way with a clearly marked catalog noting the products I was interested in.
9 out of 10 times, this would have been the end of all contact I would have with this salesperson. Sure I would receive a few email offers once my email address was added to their mailing lists but, that would be it. This time it was a little bit different.

• When I returned to the office a message was waiting for me on my machine. It was the exhibitors associate introducing herself, thanking me for visiting their booth, recapping the conversation I had earlier and explaining that she would be available if I needed anything while her associate was on the road.
• The next day I received an email from the sales representative reintroducing himself and his associate, their contact information, business hours, an offer of help with placing orders and the use of his expertise with the products they manufacture.
• Later that week I received an email featuring information on the product I was interested in.

I won’t be ordering these products until later this year, but due to a good trade show booth experience and efficient follow-up I definitely know all about the products I am interested in and who to call when I am ready to make a purchase. Sadly for most exhibitors, this isn’t the case. According to the Center for Exhibition Industry Research 80% of trade show exhibitors don’t do any follow-up after a trade show, wasting a perfect opportunity to turn a warm prospect into a new customer.
I’m a little biased, but as impressed as I was with this company’s follow up, I felt they could’ve benefited from a promotional product. A 2016 study by the Advertising Specialty Institute found that the average promotional product is kept by its recipient for about eight months. A relevant, unique and useful product would still be sitting on my desk right now reminding me who to call when I was ready to order.

Download White Paper

Do you need some tips on how to improve your trade show follow-up? Be sure to download our free white paper “Booth! There It Is” for tips on how to build an awesome event and contact your HALO Account Executive for help planning your next trade show booth.